Most cars, these days, are technological marvels. Thousands of times per second they transmit input to central computers that decide how to adjust braking, throttle and even steering as well as other things...especially when things go array.
They use those lightning fast computer reflexes to keep the car on the road. For the normal commuter, this a good thing. Just this morning, with the treat of inclement weather, I suggested to my wife that she take our newest vehicle, the one with all of the traction control, anti-lock brakes and other gizmos that would keep her safe.
There is no place where the computer arms race is more active than in performance vehicles. While there is no question that a C8 corvette is faster than a C5, that has NOTHING to do with the driver or driving. Even with equal power, Ray Charles with a spotter could achieve better lap times in the C8. All he would have to do is steer a little bit and let computers do their thing. The C5 would be sucking exhaust even were it piloted by Tazio Nuvolari.
No doubt, the high tech gadgets make the car faster, but they do not make a better driver. While they save a ham-fisted driver from their errors, ther is no learning because the computers don't tell them that they screwed up. They tell the insurance company, the car manufacturer and whatever company wants to buy the data, but the driver motors on in ignorant bliss. They live in the illusion that they nailed that corner, thus eroding whatever skill they possess. When you try to make something idiot proof, you build a better idiot.
(read that again) What's worse than pumping up the egos of drivers that seem all too willing to believe that they are the second coming of Bobby Unser, the driving experience will soon be all but eliminated.
Driving is about man and machine. Feeling the road, knowing your car, having a well-tuned butt that can sense when the tires are about to let go. A modern supercar like the C8 might have a soul, but it is analogous to a Borg, plugged into the collective of the central computer, sending the data in all directions, storing it in the cloud.
What's worse is that the electronic driving aides cannot be totally turned off. In the off position, if one overcooks a corner, the central brain jumps in, using different pressures on each brake to get you through unscathed.
Of course, there is no manual transmission. "But the auto is faster!" Yes, that's right, shifting is just one more aspect of driving that you are not involved it. What's next? Steering? Braking? Sitting in the driver's seat?
Taking pleasure in rolling technology is like boasting about your new iPhone. It is cold, mindless technology that has no texture, no flavor but yes, it has lots and lots of speed.
And of course, it takes good photos.
Some of us enjoy actually driving. As technology makes the driver more and more irrelevant, true drivers shun these computers on wheels. We look to older vehicles. Will we go as fast?
Heck no...the computer piloted car will be far ahead.
But we will be actually driving.
Something that we should all embrace before it becomes a thing of the past.
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